Life-preserver.



J. STROBEL.

LIFE PRBSBRVER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.13, 1910.

1,001,476. Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

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Win/5885s.- I INVENTUR Jaco 3170565 COLUMBIA PLANOURAFII couwnsnlNaToN.I). c.

J. STROBEL.

LIFE PRESBRVER.

APPLICATION FILED Alums, 1910.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

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ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANunnAPM (30., WASHINGTON, n c.

JACOB STROBEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LIFE-PRESERVER.

1,001 ,avc.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

Application filed August 13, 1910. Serial No. 576,950.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jacon S'rnomn, a eitizen of the United States, and aresident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the countyand State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Life-Preserver,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in life preservers, andmore particularly to that type which includes an air chamber normallydeflated but adapted to be inflated and closed prior to the time of use.

My invention is particularly applicable to life belts, and the mainfeature of the invention involves the automatic closing of it nor mallyopen air inlet valve by the securing of the life belt in position uponthe person. In my improved construction, the life belt is mechanicallydistended when being strapped on, and this mechanical distension drawsair into the air chamber, and then auto matically closes the air inletvalve, to prevent the escape of the air or the entrance of water.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a planview of a life belt constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2is a transverse enlarged section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section through a portion of the life belt during the firststages of the distending of the latter; Fig. 4 is a section similar toFig. 3, but showing the parts fully distended and the valve closed; andFig. 5 is a side elevation showing the parts completely collapsed.

My invention is applicable to various different types of life preserverswhich support the person by means of an air chamber, but it isparticularly applicable to life belts.

In the specific form illustrated, I provide a tubular belt formed of anysuitable waterproof material. The air chamber within the belt is closedat its ends by suitable end walls 10, and along the length of the beltare a plurality of separate and independent reinforcing braces 11. Eachbrace extends circumferentially of the tube forming the belt, and eachholds its adjacent portion of the belt distended. In collapsing thebelt,

the several reinforcing braces are broughttogether, as the materialbetween each brace and the next successive one is freely folded or bent.

The belt may be secured to the person in any suitable manner, but asillustrated, one end has a strap 12, which may be secured to a suitablebuckle or loop 13 at the opposite end of the belt. lrelln'ably, thesections of the material between successive reinforcing braces is soformed that when the belt is fully distended, it will assume a positionin the arc of a circle, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Each reinforcing bracemay be substantially semi-circular; that is, it may have one flatsidenvhich comes at the inner peripheral side of the belt, as isindicated in Fig. This permits the belt to better adapt itself to theform of the wearer when it is strapped in place. The same strap whichholds the belt in place may be employed for holding the belt incollapsed position, as indialed in Fig. 5.

Intermediate the ends of the belt, there is provided a reinforcing bracein the form of a partition 14!, of wood or other similar material, whichserves to support the conslruction embodying the main important featureof my invention. This partition is providial with an aperture [5thcretln'tmgh adjacent the inner edge, and below this aperture is atransverse member li') rigidly secured to the edge of the brace, amln'ovided with a central aperture, constituting an air inlet port 1T. Atthe inner edge of this member and surrounding the port, there is mounteda gasket constituting a valve seat. For closing this port, I provide avalve 18, mounted on a valve stem 19, which latter is movable outwardradially within a slot 20 in the frame or partition 14.

The valve stem is guided in two transverse braces ll. and Q2, and isnormally held upwardly in open position by a suitable spring 23 mountedon the frame or partition 1-1. At the upper end of the valve stem, thereis a retainer 24- in the form of a spring, sccured at the upper edge ofthe partition and held within a suitable guide 25. The lower end of thisretainer is bent to extend transversely through the slot 20, and is sopositioned as to enter the slot above the end of the valve stem when thelatter is moved dmvnwardly to close the valve. \V hen in this position,as illustrated in Figs. 3 and t, the valve will be held against its seatand against the tension of the spring 23. On the opposite side of theframe or partition 14 is a device for moving the retainer to inoperativeposition and permitting the valve to open. This device is in the form ofa plate 26 secured adjacent the outer edge of the partition and having adepending lower end 27 adapted to enter the slot 20 and press theretainer outwardly to inoperative position. This device may be of springmetal, or it may merely operate against the tension of the spring member24. For closing the valve, 1 provide two flexible connecting members 28,28, which may be in the form of tape, and each of which has one'endconnected to the valve stem and the other end connected to an adjacentreinforcing brace 11. The length of these members is such that when thelife belt is distended by the pulling apart of the braces, the tensionof the members 28 will pull the valve downwardly to its seat, and theretainer 2st w ll hold it there.

My improved device may normally remain in the collapsed positionindicated in Fig. 5, and the valve will normally be open. When it isdesired to put on the life belt, it is only necessary to distend thebelt to the position indicated in Fig. 1, and secure the strap to holdthe belt in position. During the dis tending operation, the air inletvalve will be open, and air will freely enter the interior of the belt.The annular reinforcing braces hold the parts of the belt in extendedposition, so that the air will be compelled to enter. During the finalportion of the dis tending movement, the two reinforcing braces, 11, 11,upon opposite sides of the central brace or partition 14, will draw uponthe two members 28, 28, and pull the valve down to its closed position,thus en trapping the air within the air chamber. As the valve reachesits seat, the retainer 2% will swing into position in the rear of thevalve stem and lock the valve closed, so that the air within the beltcannot escape and water cannot enter.

The device is entirely automatic in its operation, as the valve does nothave to be opened or closed mechanically, nor are there any other partswhich require manipulation. The entire operation results from the simpleact of buckling the life preserver in position. lVhen it is desired todeflate the life preserver, it is only necessary to grasp the centralpartition 14 between the thumb and finger, one of them coming againstthe member 26, and the other against the guide 25. Upon applyingsufiicient pressure, the member 26 will force the retaining member 24outwardly, and the spring 23 will open the valve, so that the air mayescape while the device is being folded up.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A life preserver, having an air chamber providedwith an inlet port, a valve controlling said port, a retainer forholding said valve in closed position, and means within said air chamberand operable from the exterior thereof, for moving said retainer toinoperative position.

2. A life preserver, having an air chamber provided with an inlet port,a valve controlling said port, a retainer for holding said valve inclosed position, means within said air chamber and operable from theexterior thereof for moving said retainer to inoperative position, andmeans controlled by the distending of the preserver, for closing saidvalve.

3. A life preserver, having an air chamber, a transverse partitiontherein, an air inlet valve, a member upon one side of said partitionfor retaining a valve in a predetermined position, and a member upon theopposite side of the partition for moving said retainer to inoperativeposition.

at. A life preserver, having an air chamber, a transverse partitiontherein, an airinlet valve, a member upon one side of said part-i;- tionfor retaining a valve in a predetermined position, a member upon theopposite side of the partition for moving said retainer to inoperativeposition, and a spring for moving said valve to a second predeterminedposition.

5. In a life belt, an air chamber having an inlet port, a transversepartition in said chamber, a valve within said belt seated in saidpartition and closing said port, and mechanism on said partition lockingsaid valve in lace.

6. In a life belt, an air chamber having an inlet port, a partition insaid chamber, a valve seated in said partition and closing saidport,mechanisms on said partition lock ing said valve in place, andmeans within the belt operable externally of said belt to place saidmechanisms in non-operable position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB srnoenn Witnesses MAX HAHN, CHARLES HERMANN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

